Biometric Control Device

Abstract

Systems and methods for a biometric control device. Actuation of a control device can include direction information which can be used to generate a control signal associated with the actuation. Control signals can facilitate user functions on a recipient device.

1 . A remote control device comprising:
 a directional fingerprint recognition module operable to detect an actuation associated with a user of the remote control device, the actuation comprising biometric information and direction information;   a control module operable to generate a remote control signal based on the biometric information and the direction information associated with the actuation; and   a communication subsystem operable to communicate the remote control signal to a recipient device;   wherein the remote control signal facilitates control of user functions associated with the recipient device.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an identification module operable to determine if the actuation is associated with one or more authorized users, wherein the communication subsystem operates based upon the identification module. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the control module is further operable to select between one or more menus associated with the one or more authorized users and a generic menu based upon an actuation associated with other users. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the control module is further operable to select from among the one or more menus based upon which of the one or more authorized users is associated with the detected actuation. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more menus comprise preferences associated with each of the respective one or more authorized users. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5 , further comprising a user interface operable to enable the user to adjust the preferences associated with the authorized user by requesting adjustment of a channel lineup associated with the user. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remote control device is operable to signal a channel change based upon the direction information associated with the actuation. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the remote control device is operable to signal a volume change based upon the direction associated with the actuation. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the directional fingerprint recognition module comprises a first fingerprint reader operable to scan a fingerprint responsive to a user sliding a finger across the first fingerprint reader. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising comparing minutiae points associated with the scanned fingerprint to one or more sets of stored minutiae points associated with recognized users. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10 , further comprising authenticating a user based upon the comparison. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 10 , further comprising retrieving one or more preferences based upon the comparison. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein the directional fingerprint recognition module further comprises a second fingerprint reader operable to scan a fingerprint responsive to a user sliding a finger across the second fingerprint reader. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control module is operable to access a predetermined menu based upon the actuation being associated with a security actuation associated with a particular user from among the one or more authorized users. 
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 if the direction information comprises a first direction, the actuation comprises a channel change request; and   if the direction information is a second direction, the actuation comprises a volume change request.   
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the directional fingerprint recognition module detects whether an actuation is associated with one or more authorized users by comparing a detected fingerprint with a plurality of known fingerprints associated with the one or more authorized users. 
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an identification module operable to identify a user based on the biometric information. 
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the user comprises an authorized user, and the identification module is further operable to authenticate the authorized user. 
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the control module is operable to access a user preferences data store based upon identification of an authorized user, the user preferences data store being operable to provide personalized preferences based upon the identity of the user. 
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the user does not comprise an authorized user, and the identification module is further operable to provide a generic menu to the user. 
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control module is operable to recognize a security actuation associated with the remote control device. 
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein the control module is further operable to restrict access to the remote control device to a user associated with the security actuation based upon receiving the security actuation. 
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the control module is operable to restrict access to the device for a period of time based upon receiving the security actuation. 
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein the period of time is measured from a last received authenticated command. 
   
   
       25 . A computer implemented method comprising:
 detecting an actuation, the actuation comprising biometric information and direction information;   comparing the biometric information associated with the detected actuation to stored biometric information; and   signaling a remote control command based upon the comparison and the direction information;   wherein the remote control command facilitates the operation of user functions on a recipient device.   
   
   
       26 . The computer implemented method of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 retrieving a personalized menu based upon the biometric information associated with the detected actuation.   
   
   
       27 . The computer implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the menu comprises a channel lineup associated with the biometric information associated with the detected actuation. 
   
   
       28 . The computer implemented method of  claim 27 , further comprising adjusting the channel lineup based upon input received from a user associated with the biometric information. 
   
   
       29 . The computer implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein a particular user has a plurality of personalized menus, each of the personalized menus being associated with a particular finger of the particular user. 
   
   
       30 . The computer implemented method of  claim 25 , further comprising providing a generic menu based upon a user fingerprint associated with the actuation being unrecognized based upon comparison with stored fingerprints. 
   
   
       31 . The computer implemented method of  claim 25 , further comprising retrieving one or more user preferences based upon the received actuation. 
   
   
       32 . The computer implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising retrieving public preferences based upon the biometric information associated with the actuation not being recognized. 
   
   
       33 . The computer implemented method of  claim 31 , further comprising retrieving a first set of preferences based upon the biometric information being associated with the first set of preferences. 
   
   
       34 . The computer implemented method of  claim 25 , further comprising adjusting user preferences associated with an identified user based upon input received from the identified user.